Does God exist?

**noel** · 06-09-2010, 03:28 PM

Originally Posted by Mandovark

You're sure that they don't just seem like easy answers because they're actually a popular caricature of Christian theology rather than the real thing?

How would one tell the difference? Christianity is 'a broad church' so there are branches that adhere to most of the popular caricatures

**Mandovark** · 06-09-2010, 03:42 PM

Originally Posted by noel

How would one tell the difference? Christianity is 'a broad church' so there are branches that adhere to most of the popular caricatures

True enough. I just think that a big problem in a lot of current public debates about religion is that they tend not to go very far beneath the surface of the caricatures. We seem to be living at a time when the general level of public awareness of science has never been higher and that of theology has never been lower. I think that the Hawking article is a case in point: I wouldn't dream of even trying to challenge his arguments on physics, but his grasp of theologies of creation is shaky at best.

As a discipline, theology is every bit as complicated as science, but whereas a lot of non-specialists have enough of a scientific vocabulary to read at least part-way into scientific theories, far less people have even a basic grounding in theology. I think that one of the results of that is that it becomes too easy treat the caricatures as if there's nothing else out there. Some religious groups have a tendency to do the same with science (Creationist attitudes to evolution are a good example). The problem is that whenever the caricatures get brought into play, the arguments very quickly descend into pointless slanging matches in which both sides will simply claim that the other is missing the point - which they probably are!

**noel** · 06-09-2010, 04:03 PM

Originally Posted by Mandovark

True enough. I just think that a big problem in a lot of current public debates about religion is that they tend not to go very far beneath the surface of the caricatures. We seem to be living at a time when the general level of public awareness of science has never been higher and that of theology has never been lower. I think that the Hawking article is a case in point: I wouldn't dream of even trying to challenge his arguments on physics, but his grasp of theologies of creation is shaky at best.

As a discipline, theology is every bit as complicated as science, but whereas a lot of non-specialists have enough of a scientific vocabulary to read at least part-way into scientific theories, far less people have even a basic grounding in theology. I think that one of the results of that is that it becomes too easy treat the caricatures as if there's nothing else out there. Some religious groups have a tendency to do the same with science (Creationist attitudes to evolution are a good example). The problem is that whenever the caricatures get brought into play, the arguments very quickly descend into pointless slanging matches in which both sides will simply claim that the other is missing the point - which they probably are!

Very good points Mandovark. I think it doesn't help that the press normally portray this as a battle between biblical literalists and atheist scientists. Whereas in reality, many scientists are religious and many churchgoers believe in evolution. Most people are somewhere in the middle but don't feel SO strongly about it that they want it to define their lives. I know this is only one of the arguments (creationism 'vs.' evolution), but it kind of sums it up for me.

**Deadlegs** · 06-09-2010, 06:06 PM

Originally Posted by noel

Very good points Mandovark. I think it doesn't help that the press normally portray this as a battle between biblical literalists and atheist scientists. Whereas in reality, many scientists are religious and many churchgoers believe in evolution. Most people are somewhere in the middle but don't feel SO strongly about it that they want it to define their lives. I know this is only one of the arguments (creationism 'vs.' evolution), but it kind of sums it up for me.

Well said.

**mr brightside** · 06-09-2010, 08:23 PM

Originally Posted by Mandovark

You're sure that they don't just seem like easy answers because they're actually a popular caricature of Christian theology rather than the real thing?

I was just ranting so excuse me for not returning into the debate.

**Grouse** · 06-09-2010, 08:25 PM

Who made hyenas laugh?

**daz h** · 06-09-2010, 08:40 PM

Originally Posted by Grouse